BingBlaze n Skyla Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 sarah god bet u were terrified when kimba went missing i dont let blaze off him lead as i wudnt wanna risk it incase that happened 2 me glad he came bk tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Oh i was petrified! Like I said would only ever let him off in this one place where I take him but never again, don't ever want to feel like that again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirates of the caribbean Posted February 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Yeah I think I might try him with the behaviour clinic first and see what she says. It looks really good on the website and its good that they do beginner classes on 2 nights cos we wanted to take Keira to a separate one. She has been to Training but it was a long time ago so prob best start her on beginners class.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 beginners one is good i'm going there on tuesday next week 7 - 8 You pay 30 upfront which lasts you for 6 lessons but if you can't make it one week it doesnt matter, you don't loose out and they get a nice certificate at the end lol Make sure you take some good treats with you - cheese or something they really want to work for. I found best thing was not too give them their feed at night, I used to feed Kimba when i got in but on training nights, I took his kibble with me and used that as his treat as he's SO motivated by food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 I have built a reliable recall with my Sibe But I have spent a lot of time working with two behaviourists who are qualified in dog behaviour and have taught Sibes recall before. It is not as simple as letting them off and hoping they will come back, it takes a LOT of time to build up focus and reliability firstly in low distraction environments and then slowly moving to a higher level of distraction. I spent a lot of time doing on leash work to get focus and build reliability before even thinking of letting him off the lead. It is not something I would advise doing with a more difficult breed like a Sibe without the guidance of someone who is qualified in training and has dealt with the breed before. As important as breed is, when it comes to training the most important factor is working within the temperament of the individual dog as no two dogs are the same and what works with one dog will not work with another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 On the off lead thing though, i have let Kimba off only a few times and only in one particular area where i know he's safe - well THOUGHT he was anyway. He was great, ALWAYS came back as soon as i whistled couldn't have asked for better recall - THEN he ran off :eek: I lost him for 20 mins i was in BITS i rang my friend up in tears not knowing what to do - should i tell marc and get him to help me look do i ring my whole phone book and get a tribe up to help?? Anyway I calmed down and kept walking round whistling and eventually after what seemed an ETERNITY he came trotting up behind me, looking at me as if it say "I'm here mum what's wrong"? OMG I hugged him gave him treats and snapped the lead back on and it's not been off since, that was the most awful 20 mins of my life! :eek: OMG! Good job you found him! Being honest when we took our bous to the forest on a Sunday we used to let them off the lead mainly to give them a really good run! But we took them out once and Gizmo and Bandit both ran off, fortunately Marley stayed close to us, I crapped myself!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't see them for about 5 mins and then suddenly they both cam trotting back as if nothing had happened! Since then I haven't had them off the lead. Oh and Gizmo also chased a horse (as some of you know) which happened on the same day they ran off! It is defianetly scary when they do dissappear! I was so scared that someone would pick them up and take them away and felt so irresponisible too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 SW your post reminded me of something! When training I always try to make sure I am not setting my dogs up to fail, so I will not give them a known command like a recall unless I know they are going to comply. Doing on leash work this is a bit easier to control because if the dog ignores a known command you can give them a quick leash correction or voice correction to get their focus back and mark the behaviour as undesirable. However, any time you are working the dog off leash this becomes a lot more difficult. I don't work my bitch off leash (for eg) in an area where I know the distraction level is too high for her to give me guaranteed focus. That is why I think it is really important to build up the dog's focus gradually and start training in lower distraction areas and work your way up. I don't want my dogs to ever learn that it is ok to ignore my command so when training, I would only ever call them if I knew they were going to come back. The moment the dog learns that they don't have to respond to the recall command, the command itself loses its effect because they've learned they can ignore it and comply with it on their terms and when they feel like it. With Sibes this is particularly dangerous as once you give them an inch they will take a mile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 Totally agree with you Smeagle! Unfortuanely I had to learn it the hard way but now they do NOT come off the leash and probably won't ever be off leash on walks. Another reason why I would like to get my bike up and running again so I go out on my bike with them and they can still get a really good run from it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirates of the caribbean Posted February 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 yeah Im thinking of getting a bike for mine. I was going to get a scooter but think a bike might be a better idea now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirates of the caribbean Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Hi everyone, I took orlando to the dog trainer that Sarah recommended and she was great!! I just took him to the behaviour clinic today and she said she doesnt think hes an aggressive dog, hes just a little insecure and that after one more session with her he can go to normal dog training, so thats great!! She didnt seem to think it would be a good idea to neuter him at the moment either as it could possibly make him more insecure. So I feel so much better now. He did really well today. She thinks he has potential to do well with agility etc I kinda thought what she confirmed cos at the end of the day you know your own dog dont you. : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirates of the caribbean Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Yep I agree with you Smeagle. I started training recall with Orlando on a leash first then our garden off lead and eventually let him off in a small field just down the road. I will onle ever let him off when I think it is safe to do so though i.e no dogs that will be a distraction etc. He hasnt let me down yet. He actually got out of the house yesterday because he was trying to follow me and my sister hadnt shut the door quick enough. The girl Sibe had followed him out too. We were going to get in the car so I just stayed calm opened the car door and shouted them (I know they like travelling in the car lol). The boy came running and then the girl was right behind him and they jumped in the car. So as a little reward for coming back I decided they could go for a little ride with us. I definitely would not let him off if I wasnt certain that he would come back. : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Yep I agree with you Smeagle. I started training recall with Orlando on a leash first then our garden off lead and eventually let him off in a small field just down the road. I will onle ever let him off when I think it is safe to do so though i.e no dogs that will be a distraction etc. He hasnt let me down yet. He actually got out of the house yesterday because he was trying to follow me and my sister hadnt shut the door quick enough. The girl Sibe had followed him out too. We were going to get in the car so I just stayed calm opened the car door and shouted them (I know they like travelling in the car lol). The boy came running and then the girl was right behind him and they jumped in the car. So as a little reward for coming back I decided they could go for a little ride with us. I definitely would not let him off if I wasnt certain that he would come back. : ) But you have to prepare for times when there will be distractions too. It takes just one time for your dog to see another dog or prey item out of the corner of their eye to bolt off and then any training you have done up until then will be ruined, because the dog has learned there are times when they can ignore you and that they will get satisfaction from places other than you. When I talk about doing distraction work off leash, it is training only and not letting my dog off just for a run. She is given the "ready to work" command and knows that I expect 110% focus which is different to when I just let her off for a run. She knows there is a difference between working and fun time, although with the training we are doing we will get to a point where I can call her off a scent or prey item even when we aren't "working". But all that takes time and lots of it! So I watch her very closely and work within the limits that I am comfortable working her in. I know (for eg, and my Sibe is the same) that if I am doing food drive training with her, her focus is 100% completely on me and no where else because she is working in drive. Like I said all the training I do is under the guidance of a qualified behaviourist so I know how to test my dog's boundaries and nothing I ever do in training is risk - it is either the dog will give me 100% guaranteed compliance (or they can be easily corrected) or I won't do it. Sibes are not a breed you can just try things with and be complacent about training. I don't doubt they have ability to do great off leash work and mine has so far, but it is not something done easily or done without a lot of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirates of the caribbean Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 I am always prepared for times when there may be distractions and if I have to will put him back on a lead. I will do training off lead with him and when he has behaved well and earnt it I let him have a little run. I watch my dogs too but just not in a panicky "oh i think they might run off" way as that will only get them worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 It's each to their own especially when it comes to what risks you are willing to take, I don't use dog parks anyway so in that instance it is a moot point for me. I don't think of it as "oh they might run off, I'm so scared!" but more, "have I proofed for this situation? is what I am offering higher value than the dog over their or a prey item like a bird or a snake?" I train at a field near my house too, and often when it is being used for a football game. I can have my bitch in an off leash sit stay or down stay a good 15+ meters away from me, loads of distractions around, and still get a perfect stay or recall. But I don't make it a game of chance, like I said, if I doubt for a second I will not get 100% compliance then I won't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirates of the caribbean Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 yeah and thats why I dont generally let the girl Husky off because I know she is not as obediant as the boy. Well she is my partners dog and I didnt meet her till she was about 14month and he hadnt done as much training with her as I have with Orlando, plus shes naturally more dominant and nosey and it is a lot more difficult to get her to be focused on me 100% than it is the boy. Do you think this is a major differnce between the sexes? Do you just have one girl? I think the girls might be a little more difficult to train then boys as they are bnaturally more independent. What do you think? Or is it more the dogs "personality"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 yeah and thats why I dont generally let the girl Husky off because I know she is not as obediant as the boy. Well she is my partners dog and I didnt meet her till she was about 14month and he hadnt done as much training with her as I have with Orlando, plus shes naturally more dominant and nosey and it is a lot more difficult to get her to be focused on me 100% than it is the boy. Do you think this is a major differnce between the sexes? Do you just have one girl? I think the girls might be a little more difficult to train then boys as they are bnaturally more independent. What do you think? Or is it more the dogs "personality"? My bitch isn't a husky but in my experience there isn't a big difference in terms of trainability between the sexes, although as a general rule I do prefer males of any breed over females! I think regardless of sex you can get different temperaments within a breed hence why I always say that training is not so much about breed but working within the individual temperament of the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utahraptr Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 We just started obedience classes two weeks ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted March 21, 2010 Report Share Posted March 21, 2010 sounds like their doing well, it all takes time they will get there in the end xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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